Pune Warriors appoint Geoff Marsh as coach

Pune: The New IPL team Sahara Pune Warriors on Monday have appointed Australia's 1999 World Cup-winning coach Geoff Marsh on the role of head coach in Pune.

Announcing the two coaches, team owner and Sahara India Pariwar chairman Subrata Roy said players from Uttar Pradesh would be given priority while choosing the squad for his side which would make its debut next year.

"For any team, coaches are the most important part and we are delighted to have Australian opener Geoff Marsh as head coach of Sahara Pune Warriors and former England all-rounder Dermot Reeve as his deputy," Roy told reporters.

Geoff Marsh a right-handed batsman, played 50 Tests for Australia between 1985 and 1992, besides featuring in 117 ODIs from 1986 to 1992. He was the coach of the 1999 World Cup-winning Australian side. He has also coached the Zimbabwean side between 2001 and 2004.

His son Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh in the 2010 edition of IPL had played for Kings XI Punjab and Deccan chargers respectively.

Reeve, his deputy on the other hand, played three Tests in 1992 besides also featuring in 29 ODIs between 1991 and 1996. He served as T20 bowling coach for New Zealand in 2008.

Roy said the appointment was basically based on the performances of Marsh and Reeve in the past as a player and coach.

"It is not so that we didn't have Indian coaches, but cricket is for the whole world and not for one country. There are coaches, but they have been selected in the interest of the team," he said.

The IPL authorities are yet to decide if the original eight franchises will retain their current playing lists for the 2011 season featuring 10 teams.